San Francisco LGBT Community Center
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco LGBT Community Center is a nonprofit organization
serving the lesbian
, gay
, bisexual
and transgender
population of San Francisco, California
and nearby communities, located at 1800 Market Street in San Francisco.
Incorporated in 1996, the Center opened its solar-powered, 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²) facility in 2002. Its mission is "to connect our diverse community to opportunities, resources and each other to achieve our vision of a stronger, healthier, and more equitable world for LGBT
people and our allies."
Open six days a week, community events includes social events, support groups, community forums, and other functions. The Center's CyberCenter computer lab provides free computer access. The building houses 6 nonprofit organizations.
All of the Center’s direct services are available free of charge. Many are designed for community members most in need, including low-income, queer youth, job seekers, children and families, city newcomers, women and the transgender community. Program areas include:
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Assists LGBT jobseekers in finding safe and secure living-wage employment, help LGBT-run businesses grow, increase LGBT community financial assets, and eliminate barriers to transgender economic success.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS. Work to prevent HIV/AIDS infection, through social networking, information services and peer support targeting city newcomers. Provides a Information and Referral program where 60% of referrals include mental health services, sexual/and or domestic abuse, HIV/AIDS or general health / health access.
CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES. Provides childcare services to LGBT families four days a week. Over 500 youth annually receive leadership development, job training, queer youth prom, and free hot meals.
COMMUNITY AND POLICY INITIATIVES. Empowers community members and respond to important emerging community and policy issues such as marriage equality and employment protection.
ARTS AND CULTURE. Hosts art exhibits and collaborative programs to increase the visibility of LGBT artists and public access to cultural activities.
The agency's annual budget is approximately $2 million. The Center's Executive Director Rebecca Rolfe leads a staff of 2 dozen staff members and a volunteer pool of over 800 individuals.
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
serving the lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
population of San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and nearby communities, located at 1800 Market Street in San Francisco.
Incorporated in 1996, the Center opened its solar-powered, 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²) facility in 2002. Its mission is "to connect our diverse community to opportunities, resources and each other to achieve our vision of a stronger, healthier, and more equitable world for LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
people and our allies."
Open six days a week, community events includes social events, support groups, community forums, and other functions. The Center's CyberCenter computer lab provides free computer access. The building houses 6 nonprofit organizations.
All of the Center’s direct services are available free of charge. Many are designed for community members most in need, including low-income, queer youth, job seekers, children and families, city newcomers, women and the transgender community. Program areas include:
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Assists LGBT jobseekers in finding safe and secure living-wage employment, help LGBT-run businesses grow, increase LGBT community financial assets, and eliminate barriers to transgender economic success.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS. Work to prevent HIV/AIDS infection, through social networking, information services and peer support targeting city newcomers. Provides a Information and Referral program where 60% of referrals include mental health services, sexual/and or domestic abuse, HIV/AIDS or general health / health access.
CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES. Provides childcare services to LGBT families four days a week. Over 500 youth annually receive leadership development, job training, queer youth prom, and free hot meals.
COMMUNITY AND POLICY INITIATIVES. Empowers community members and respond to important emerging community and policy issues such as marriage equality and employment protection.
ARTS AND CULTURE. Hosts art exhibits and collaborative programs to increase the visibility of LGBT artists and public access to cultural activities.
The agency's annual budget is approximately $2 million. The Center's Executive Director Rebecca Rolfe leads a staff of 2 dozen staff members and a volunteer pool of over 800 individuals.